Bill Maher Praises Newsom‘s Trump-Mimicking Social Media Strategy, Warns Democrats of Potential Voting Bloc Shift
During Friday’s episode of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, host Bill Maher applauded California Governor Gavin Newsom’s recent social media campaign directly mocking former President Donald Trump’s writing style, calling it “very funny.” The discussion followed a week of escalating back-and-forth between Newsom and Trump.
Maher highlighted several posts from Newsom’s press office that imitated Trump’s characteristic phrasing and capitalization.He quoted one example: “‘and he will fail as he always does, sad. And I, the peacetime governor, our nation’s favorite, will save America once again. Many are calling me the, you know, Gavin Newsom, many say the most loved and handsome governor.'”
Trump responded to Newsom’s online campaign earlier this week, labeling the governor “incompetent” while speaking to reporters at the White House. “I know Gavin very well. He’s an incompetent guy with a good line of bullshit, and he doesn’t get the job done,” Trump said.
Maher argued that Newsom is demonstrating an understanding of contemporary American political culture that has eluded many Democrats. “I feel like Gavin has grasped the essential thing about American culture in this day and age,” maher stated. ”Don’t try to outsmart people. You have to out-stupid them.”
The conversation also turned to potential shifts in the electorate. Maher cautioned Democrats that Trump may be gaining traction with a new voting demographic, pointing to the Trump administration’s consideration of loosening federal regulations on marijuana.
“Finally he got around to me!” Maher joked, referencing his own long-held support for marijuana legalization.
Newsom’s social media strategy began after a debate with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another potential 2024 presidential contender. Newsom’s team has as released a series of posts directly responding to Trump’s criticisms and mimicking his online persona. The governor explained he decided to adopt this approach after realizing direct engagement with Trump’s attacks was ineffective.
The Real Time episode aired on HBO and is available for streaming on HBO Max.
